GFreeSammihttps://gfreesammi.wordpress.com
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 00:30:43 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://gfreesammi.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/cropped-root-juice.jpg?w=32GFreeSammihttps://gfreesammi.wordpress.com
3232Essential Oilshttps://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/02/01/essential-oils/
https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/02/01/essential-oils/#respondThu, 01 Feb 2018 22:23:57 +0000http://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/?p=808Continue reading Essential Oils→]]>Hello Everyone! I recently got a diffuser! I wanted to make a super quick post with two of the most helpful links that I found for choosing oils:

Reminder if you are looking into getting a diffuser: essential oils are toxic for cats! They do not have the appropriate enzyme (glucuronyl transferase) to metabolize them! Cats can be fine for long periods of time and suddenly fall ill. Please protect our fluffy felines!

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]]>https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/02/01/essential-oils/feed/0gfreesammiSwoon Bakeryhttps://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/01/20/swoon-bakery/
https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/01/20/swoon-bakery/#respondSat, 20 Jan 2018 17:23:38 +0000http://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/?p=795Continue reading Swoon Bakery→]]>EDIT: Sadly today is their last day as a dedicated space, but here is the draft I wrote before I knew this:

Swoon Gluten Free Bakery is truly a gift to this earth. They are a dedicated gluten and nut free facility located in Ridgefield, CT. You can also enjoy some dairy free and/or vegan options which they keep on a different shelf in the case! They will even ask you if you want a dairy item boxed separate from the dairy free. Queue every person with food allergies crying tears of joy!

I have been going to this bakery for years whenever I am in that area. Let me tell you everything they touch is magic! Cupcakes, cookies, bundt cakes, oh my! They even make something call monkey buns! It’s like a miniature version of monkey bread. Think of a sweet moist cinnamon roll topped with delicious icing! Another favorite of mine is their lemon ricotta tea cake, which tastes like a straight up gooey croissant

Let’s talk cupcakes real quick. They have so many delicious flavors that I gave them their own paragraph! My top favorites are definitely sweet n salty (caramel), red velvet and lemon raspberry! They take classic flavor pairings like cookies-n-cream, funfetti, mint chocolate, and mocha that they turn into beautiful little desserts. Seasonal flavors and/or decorations also make their way into the retail case. Around the holidays they also do a holiday order menu!

There are people who go out of their way to go get me goodies from swoon for holiday dinners, birthdays, and other events…just in case anyone was wondering how much I love this place

-GFS

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]]>https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/01/20/swoon-bakery/feed/0gfreesammiJersey Mike’shttps://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/jersey-mikes/
https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/jersey-mikes/#respondSat, 13 Jan 2018 16:50:34 +0000http://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/?p=800Continue reading Jersey Mike’s→]]>I was very confused to see a lot of posts going around about gluten free sandwiches at Jersey Mike’s. That is, until they announced that they started carrying Udi’s subs! Now the only thing left to do was try it out!

Of course the first thing on any celiac’s mind when they first hear about gluten free options is cross contamination. In the announcement, Jersey Mike’s claimed to have special training vidoes reguarding this topic. Any shared kitchen is always a risk, but there are ways to minimize exposure. Do the employees on the store level understand the importance? Will I get sick just trying to simply eat a sandwich? God knows that not everyone cares how bad these things can effect people.

Still a little skeptical, I asked about their procedures as soon as I had the chance. The lady behind the counter knew exactly what I was talking about and called out my order. Everyone on the line, even the ones not responsible for coming in contact woth my food, changed their gloves. They picked up an individual wrapped gluten free sub and started to assemble my sandwich on top of a piece of parchment paper. That’s right…no gluten free bread touching the regular countertops! There was even a separate knife used for my sandwich. Celiac approved

Now I had obviously not had Jersey Mike’s before, gluten free or otherwise. I reallyyyy love sandwiches and I left very happy! They sliced the cold cuts right for the sandwich that I ordered. I got a few different meats…and let me tell you the ratio to the bread did not disappoint! You can even get your sandwich “Mike’s Way” with lettuce, tomato, onion, oil/vinegar, and spices.

I will definitely be back to try more kinds! There are never enough chances in a day to eat a sandwich.

-GFS

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]]>https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/jersey-mikes/feed/0gfreesammiMy Top 3 Beauty Companies of 2017!https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/01/02/my-top-3-beauty-companies-of-2017/
https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/01/02/my-top-3-beauty-companies-of-2017/#respondTue, 02 Jan 2018 14:52:55 +0000http://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/?p=771Continue reading My Top 3 Beauty Companies of 2017!→]]>My love for healthy beauty care may not have started in 2017, but I definitely let it spread it’s roots this past year! I found a lot of great brands and products to incorporate in my regular routines.

All of these are cruelty free! I also try to use vegan products when possible.

I love this brand! They were even in my top 3 from 2016. I use a lot of their make up products and the majority of my nail polish is from them. Their concealer was something that I recently tried and loved! This year though I did stop using their entire curly hair system…because I had a very human moment and didn’t realize they had silicones in them.

Overview: Pure ingredients and hard work really shine through in this line. These products are handmade in batches and some even use special distillation. The very clean ingredients make my skin feel hydrated and healthy!

Values: From their site:

“We are free of GMOs, parabens, and gluten with the exception of our Light Moisture Replenishing Fluid.

Our products are not tested on animals. Most are vegan with the exception of our Lip Balm, Eye Balm and the brush in our Clay Mask Kit.

Many of our products are certified organic. Others use certified organic ingredients. Many do not require preservatives.

We use sustainable practices including eco-friendly packaging.

We work with family farms, tribal villages and self-governed women’s cooperatives.”

Overview: This company is wonderful! Back in the day, I used some of my mom’s Beautiful Curls Shampoo and Conditioner when I would run out of mine. More recently, I’ve branched out to explore the brand! I cannot do a wash day without their Beautiful Curls Fortifying Hair Lotion as my leave-in.

Values: Besides having great ingredients, this company is all about helping their community. “Our Empowerment Projects include several Education-Based Projects, Maternal Health, FGM Eradication, Eyeglasses and Reforestation. All of Alafﬁa’s projects empower Togolese communities to provide their skills and knowledge to the rest of the world and rise out of poverty.”

Overview: This brand was also mentioned in my top 3 of 2016! A very passionate women turned her love of healthy foods for your skin into this wonderful line. My skin adores the new products and formulas that came out this year as well as the staples I already loved! Bogavia just continues to be my top favorite beauty brand!

Values: No parabens, no chemical preservatives, no artificial fragrances, no SLS, no mineral oils, no silicones, no soy, gluten free, hypoallergenic, non-comodogenic, organic, and made in the US.

]]>https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2018/01/02/my-top-3-beauty-companies-of-2017/feed/0gfreesammiTop 10 Songs I Listened to in 2017https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2017/12/29/top-10-songs-i-listened-to-in-2017/
https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2017/12/29/top-10-songs-i-listened-to-in-2017/#respondFri, 29 Dec 2017 17:06:04 +0000http://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/?p=769Continue reading Top 10 Songs I Listened to in 2017→]]>Music has always been a huge connection to my emotions for me. If I’m in a bad mood, I listen to songs that I can relate to in the moment. If I’m in a good mood, I listen to songs that makes me dance around and sing. I jam out while I’m cooking, driving, and even brushing my teeth!

The past 2 years for me meant moving and new jobs…and it left me really needing to feel like myself again. Music was definitely the best place to start. I made playlists of all the old music I liked, I actively searched for new music, and I went to shows for bands my coworkers were in! Plus after trying to see Portugal. the Man (my favorite band) for 7 years, I finally got to see them live! Twice!

This list is all of the songs that I loved listening to this year. Not all of these came out in 2017. Not all of these are styles of music that I usually listen to. And that’s what makes this list great.

First things first, my skin type. I naturally have dry skin. Due to my hormones and medications, it can get extra dry. This series is all about what works for me. You may find different products work for you, whether you’re oily, combo, dry, etc. I exclusively use products that are natural and cruelty free.

You may have heard phrases like “taking care of your skin starts on the inside”. That’s what Day 1 of this series is all about! I live a healthy lifestyle, but there are 3 ongoing habits that really make a difference specifically in my skin:

Drinking Water. Everyone is sick of hearing this. I was sick of hearing this. Drink more water! Keep hydrated! Even while growing up surrounded by the health food world, water was something I never really took seriously. It takes paying attention to throughout the whole day. Plus when you first start drinking more water, you resent always. having. to. pee. Not that that part ever fully goes away. Over a long period of keeping hydrated, I started to see a lot of improvements in my health, including my skin.

Fish Oil. When I was in high school a doctor wanted me on omega fatty acids. She preferred the supplement to have both omega 3 and 9, but said it must at least have omega 3. A little background about omega supplements: Fish oil contains omega 3. Nuts and seed blends contain all 3 essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6, 9). So I obviously tried the plant based ones first. After not seeing much result, I tried fish oils. My body did noticeably better. With all of the improvements from this, I also noticed a huge one in my skin. Also a non-sponsored shout out to Nordic Naturals for making a fish oil supplement with the added 6 and 9 from plants.

Collagen. The one I have is actually collagen with hyaluronic acid (supports healthy skin hydration) and vitamin c (supports skin and collagen health). I actually got these chews because someone else didn’t want them. They are kind of like candy, so I would have one once a day. Chews and gummies are known for being lower potency, so I wasn’t really expecting anything. About a week or two later, I noticed how much softer my skin was after I did a face scrub. Scrubs usually make my skin softer, but this was a whole new level. I hadn’t changed any skincare products…what could it be? The collagen chews! I have been repurchasing the chews specifically because they have the hyaluronic acid.

Keep checking my Instagram throughout the week to see the rest of the series

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]]>https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2017/07/24/seven-day-skincare-series/feed/0gfreesammiBeauty Week Sale at Whole Foods!https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2017/03/24/beauty-week-sale-at-whole-foods/
https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2017/03/24/beauty-week-sale-at-whole-foods/#respondFri, 24 Mar 2017 16:00:32 +0000http://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/?p=644Continue reading Beauty Week Sale at Whole Foods!→]]>In honor of beauty week, Whole Foods (at least in the ny/ct/nj region) is having a sale! And of course I participated The sale covered face care/make up and lasts from March 22 through March 28. Hello 25% off! I have dry skin with sensitive tendencies, so these are products that I feel work best for me. I didn’t realize until I made this list…but all of these products except for one are things I bought to try! I like switching up my skin care and learning about different brands. Enjoy my beauty haul post

I stopped wearing eye make up for a while (years) on a regular basis because it was just so much effort. Recently I decided that I wanted to go back. I love make up and it felt as if I wasn’t being myself. I had only been wearing it when I went out to meet people. And then it dwindled even further to only special occasions. Especially since I am not in food service anymore, I just decided to wear it again! I got a lot of positive reaction form regular people in my life and it was great!! So that brings me to the only repurchase in this list (there are a lot of beauty products I repurchase regularly, but not necessarily this day):

Zuzu Liquid Liner! Now that I’ve been doing this for over a month, I’ve mastered liquid eye liner all over again. I set my lids and all around my eyes (I do a winged liner) with foundation powder first and there is very minimal smudging through out the day!

Here are the ones that I bought to try. I will be posting on my instagram as I try these out!

Nourish Organic Face Lotion my skin doesn’t like heavy creams although it gets very dry, so I’m super excited to find a lightweight lotion to try (shoutout to Bogavia for also making a lightweight face lotion)

Various Nail Polishes from Various Brands

Note: I wish I shopped in a store that carried the W3ll People line! I have some samples of their products! I have to go back to get the beauty bags they started selling today anyway..$90 valued bag for $18.99!

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]]>https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2017/03/24/beauty-week-sale-at-whole-foods/feed/0gfreesammiMy Top 3 Beauty Companies of 2016!https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/my-top-3-beauty-companies-of-2016/
https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/my-top-3-beauty-companies-of-2016/#commentsSun, 08 Jan 2017 17:00:19 +0000http://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/?p=518Continue reading My Top 3 Beauty Companies of 2016!→]]>I am very passionate about skin and body care. As a celiac, I don’t just have to worry about gluten in my body, but on it! In 2016 I made the full transition to healthy beauty products. This was was very exciting to me, as I had trouble with this in the past (mainly a deodorant that worked and a good toothpaste). I have found some products and companies that are now my holy grails, so I thought I’d share with you all

First off, this would have been my number 1 top brand for 2016. I absolutely fell in love with them. But then they……changed their formulas If you aren’t gluten free, this doesn’t affect you as much, so feel free to check them out! They no longer label all their products gluten free (or any body care ones for that matter). Which is alarming for us celiacs because that parallels with the addition of oat related ingredients. They are also no longer 100% vegan! I’ve noticed a lot of other changes to their ingredient lists (both what’s in them down to the actual styling). Any products I’ve found where the list is still bolded, has the old formula. All of the products I loved worked so well and I will miss those very much!

Some positives thoughts about them: they are organic, lots of expansion this past year/new products, the night cream is AMAZING, so is the brightening facial scrub, the sensitive/dry facial cleanser was my go to, the leave in conditioning spray is great for curls, and the new greens and power meal products are gluten free!

Overview: A very passionate women turned her love of healthy foods for your skin into this wonderful line. The tag line is “the beauty of the Adriatic”. They are a little pricey which is probably due to the fine ingredients and purity, but it’s worth it! I am absolutely obsessed with everything I’ve tried from them so far! Plus they have travel sizes of some of the line, so you can try it out more easily.

Values: No parabens, no chemical preservatives, no artificial fragrances, no SLS, no mineral oils, no silicones, no soy, gluten free, hypoallergenic, non-comodogenic, organic, and made in the US.

My Top Picks: the mineral face mask is one of my holy grail products, the brightening body wash, the daytime vitality serum, the midnight repair oil, and the deep conditioner.

Overview: “Minerals on a mission” The site says they not only want the products to have “real world performance”, but multi-task as well! I love how much they cover. They do all kinds of make up, skin care, hair care, and even nail polish. My nails are so much healthier after using their polish instead of regular ones.

Values: Free of parabens, glutens, artificial colors, and phthalates, as well as giving back to the community and to women who have faced violence!

My Top Picks: The curly hair shampoo/conditioner/cream is the best I’ve ever found natural or otherwise, the nail polishes, the gel top coat, the pressed powder, and the lipstick butters.

Overview: Eo is a great premium brand. They make a “budget friendly” version of their brand called Everyone by EO. They make things for body, hair, face, and essential oils to name a few! I actually went to a hotel during a wedding this past year and they stocked EO soap in every bathroom. They also left little EO soaps on the pillows!

My Top Picks: For EO: lavender hand sanitizer and any of the hand soaps. For Everyone: 3-in-1 body, face, and hand lotions.

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]]>https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/my-top-3-beauty-companies-of-2016/feed/1gfreesammiSlow Cooker Weather!https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2016/12/05/slow-cooker-weather/
https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2016/12/05/slow-cooker-weather/#respondMon, 05 Dec 2016 17:00:00 +0000http://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/?p=501Continue reading Slow Cooker Weather!→]]>Getting into these colder months I definitely day dream more about eating a hot meal. But I also still have to go to work…enter the slow cooker!

for the gravy mix, I’m going to buy those GF gravy packets from whole foods

I might change my mind on this, but maybe the Glutino cornbread stuffing?? or Gillian’s if I can find that in a store around here!

replace butter with Earth Balance buttery spread

Note to self: check out more recipes from this page!

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]]>https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2016/12/05/slow-cooker-weather/feed/0gfreesammiPie Season!https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/pie-season/
https://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/pie-season/#respondMon, 28 Nov 2016 17:00:00 +0000http://gfreesammi.wordpress.com/?p=474Continue reading Pie Season!→]]>Fall in general starts pie season, but I really start to get into it around Thanksgiving! Now that the holiday pies are all gone, I found another recipe I’d like to try!

The original recipe for this Avocado Key Lime Pie isn’t gluten free or dairy free, but here is my version of the ingredients I want to use when I make this: